Kowsky



No. e|4,|2|. Patented Nov. 15,1898.

- 8. MEBESHKOWSKY.

CULTURE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Ja.11.- 28, 1896.) (N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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m: mums PETER: c0. PnoTduTHa. wnsli moroN. 17. c.

No. 6|4,l2|. Patented Nov. l5, I898.

s. MEBESHKOWS'KY. CULTURE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jam 28, 1896.) (No Model. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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.1 A AI 4 WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS THE Nonms PETERS co Mcmumav, WASHINGTON. u. c.

N0. 6l4,|2'| Pa'tented Nov. [5, I898.

' S. MERESHKUWSKY.

CULTURE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Jan. 28, 1896.) (No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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THE npnals PETERS cQgPnom-umo. wAsnmsfon'. n c.

UNITED STATES} PATENT OFFICE.

SERGIUS MERESHKOWSKY, OF ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA.

CULTURE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,121, dated November 15, 1898.

Application filed January 28, 1896. Serial No- 5'77,20'7. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SERGIUS MERESH- KOWSKY, a subject of the Emperor of Bus sia, and a resident of St. Petersburg, Russia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for'Automatic Production of Pure Culture of Microbes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus designed for producing automatically, without the aid of learned bacteriologists and a rather complete laboratory plant, pure cultures of microbes in any quantity and for pouring the cultures thus obtained, without the slightest risk of becoming impure, in cans proper for carriage.

The apparatus may be employed either for continuous production of cultures or only for periodic production, admitting various forms of construction, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter explained.

The object of the present invention is an apparatus for the production of pure cultures of micro-organisms intended for the use of those persons who are not well versed in the bacteriological and mycological technics or have not the necessary facilities, which are only to be found in a laboratory. For this purpose the arrangement of the apparatus is such that the same may be transported after having it charged with pure cultures without fear of contaminating the cultures, the stock of the new culture in the apparatus renews itself automatically, and all the manipulation with the apparatus, such as the preparation of the cultures and the filling of them into the vessels for the purpose of preservation, the sterilization of the filters, 850., may be done by an unskilled workman.

Figure 1 is a view of the complete apparasels intended to receive the cultures are brought for sterilization.

There is no special compartment or vessel provided for the developing of the culture, and the same may take place either in the boilerB,which for this purpose maybe conveniently enlarged, or in the boiler A, in which case the boiler B would serve only for the preservation of the stock of the pure culture of micro-organisms.

The boiler A is provided with a pressuregage a, a pipe b, by which the constituents of the nutrient media may be introduced into the boiler, and which pipe may be closed by a nut b a safety-valve c, and a pipe cl, which connects the boiler with the air-filter N, having a'stop-cock N In the boiler A is a worm H, through which water may run in order to cool quickly the nutrient media, or steam in case the sterilization should be done by steam instead of by the direct heating of the boiler. In the lower wall of the boiler is an opening e for the effiuX-tube f, through which the nutrient mediavmay be brought from the boilerA into the boiler B.

On the pipe fare two valves N and N which prevent the contamination of the boiler B in case of the transportation of the same after it has been disconnected from the boiler A at the point M, Fig. 1. They also prevent contamination of the boiler B in case of filling the boiler A with impure nutritious fluid, which latter may trickle through into the boiler B if there should be only one valve. The interior of the pipe between the two valves is sterilized by opening the valve N as soon as the fluid in boiler A reaches its maximum of heat.

The boiler B is placed lower than the boiler A in order to make the contents of the latter run ofi by its own weight. The boiler B is provided with an air-filter N, which is controlled by the valve N The efflux-opening p is placed at such a height that upon emptying the boiler B there always remains a stock of culture for the infection of the sterile nutrient media coming from the boiler A.

. The working of the boilers A and B is as follows: The boiler A is heated by steam passing through the worm or, if there should be no steam available, by a direct heat (gasolene-burner) to a certain degree. The fluid is then cooled by passing cold water through the Worm, and the sterilized and cooled fluid is then passed from the boiler A into the boiler B through the pipe f by opening the valves N N N N. In the boiler B an infection takes place from the stock of culture remaining there. The developing of the micro-organisms is facilitated by heating the boiler 13 to a suitable temperature by a coil, as shown. As soon as the culture shows the desired temperature the same may be passed ofif through the pipe h t' into the tin vessels by way of the boiler O. The pipe 7L 1' connects first with a small boiler O. The boiler Cserves for the production of steam for sterilizing the pipe between the valve N and the boiler. The boiler C is connected with the oil-bath D by a pipe extending from the opening K and having a coupling at 1, from which a pipesection 1 extends to and connects with the vessels in the oil-bath. A valve N is arranged between the boiler C and the oil-tank D. The oil-tank D serves for the sterilization of the tin vessels for the culture and is arranged in such a way that the fluid from the boiler C may be passed off into the vessels contained therein by its own weight. The walls are of such a height that after oil is put in all the parts (vessels or tubes) brought into the bath are covered by the oil. The oil-bath is provided with a delivery-cock X and at one side with a pipe 4, which is connected with the pipe 1, coming from the boiler C. On the opposite wall there is a tube going to the airfilter N After the tin vessels are arranged on the bottom of the bath the ends of the pipes of these vessels are connected to each other by caps 10, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 2 and 3, and soldered, whereby the pipes of the two outermost vessels are soldered to the branches i and a of the pipe 4 and, on the otherhand, the copper pipes to u of the safety vessel A. The tube 10 is soldered to the tube of the air-filter N Fig. 2. The safety vessel A protects the filter N against moisture if all the vessels are filled with cultures. The same has at its bottom a tightly-closed tubular 1;, by which the vessel may be carefully washed. The oil is put into the bath as soon as all the vessels are arranged in the bath and the pipes soldered, and then burners are brought under the bath and under the filter N As soon as the temperature necessary for the sterilization of the vessels and of the filter is reached the heated oil is passed 0% from the bath by the cock X, the vessels are allowed to cool off, and cultures are brought in from the boiler B. After the ves: sels are filled the thin-walled lead pipes are pressed together air-tight and cut ofi from the caps 20 and the vessels finally taken from the bath.

The boiler C may be used for sterilizing the pipe leading therefrom to the oil-tank,and this pipe has a valve N which may be closed during thissterilizing operation. The outlet from the boiler O is placed high enough, so that there will always be enough liquid in the boiler to be converted into the sterilizing-vapor.

For transportation a case is put upon the tin vessels having the compressed lead pipes.

As the object of the apparatus is the production of cultures without the implements of a laboratory, there are special means pro vided for the prevention of contamination. The spindles of all the valves N to N are dipped in baths of an easily-liquefied substance contained in cups .2, which solidifies at normal temperature, as parafiin, alloys, &c.

The asbestos air-filters may be mentioned here, which may be easily and safely sterilized without detaching them from the apparatus. The sterilization of the filters is done by heating them with a burner.

In order to make the first costs of the apparatus as low as possible, the boiler 13 may be formed in such a way that the same contains only the stock of cultures, whereas the developing of the cultures takes place in the boiler A, whereby the stock of cultures is brought into this boiler after the nutrient media is sterilized and cooled. off. This is shown in Fig. 4.

The filling of the boiler A with the cultures from the boiler B is done with a vessel 0', Fig. 4., from which the air is forced by water.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination, an apparatus for grow ing cultures, a boiler B adapted to contain a constant supply of cultures, a sterilizingboiler connected therewith adapted to receive and sterilize the nutritious material to be infected with the pure cultures by the mixture of the two, a tank D for receiving the tins or cans for holding the infected material the pipes connecting the boilers and the tins in the tank, said pipes having valves, a pair of said valves being arranged in the pipe nearest the reserve-boiler 13 leaving space between them in the pipe which may be sterilized, the vessels or cups about the valve-spindles for holding a sealing material capable of being liquefied by heat, the air-filters connected with the boilers with means for heating them, the safety vessel in the oil-tank having pipe connections by which it may be connected with the tins, and the air-filter connected with the safety vessel, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the boiler A for receiving and sterilizing the nutritive material, the chamber B connected therewith for receiving the sterilized nutritive material and infecting it with cultures, the oil-tank having the receiving-tins therein, the boiler O, and the pipe connections from the boiler O to the chamber B and to the tins in the oil-tank, the said boiler 0 being adapted to sterilize the pipe connections to the tins in the oil-tank, substantially as described.

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safety vessel connected therewith and the tank in which the tins and safety vessels are arranged, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this [5 specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SERGIUS MERESHKOWSKY.

Witnesses:

N. TSOHEKALOFF, J. HIERLING. n 

